Dell Goes Back to School with New Laptops, Tablets and Chromebooks

Dell announced its back-to-school lineup today, which is a bit odd to consider sitting here under the weight of 6 feet of snow. But the PC maker says it will offer students its best-ever education portfolio ever this fall. And while there’s a stray Android tablet and Chromebook in there, there are of course Windows-based devices as well.

“Education devices need to be really robust to make it through a school district’s life cycle,” Dell VP and GM Sam Burd says in a prepared statement. “They also need to be powerful and flexible enough to suit individual learning needs, and make collaborating within the classroom simple. Our latest education solutions give students, teachers and IT managers the tools they need to provide an engaging learning experience.”

Here’s what they announced.

Dell Chromebook 11. This durable device runs Chrome OS, of course, and features an anti-glare HD display, optional touchscreen capabilities, a liquid-resistant keyboard and touchpad, a front facing integrated HD video webcam, wireless 2×2 LAN, 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and up to 10 hours of reported battery life. It’s also the first Chromebook to feature an activity light, which Dell says will allow teachers to “easily monitor student activity and facilitate more meaningful interactions such as orchestrating student groups or facilitating quick quizzes and polls.” The Dell Chromebook 11 starts at USD $249.99.

Dell Venue 10 and Venue 10 Pro. These two tablets share similar specs, but the non-Pro version runs Android 5.0 while the Pro version is of course based on Windows 8.1. Both feature a 10.1-inch HD or Full HD display and both can be configured with an optional, detachable and reversible keyboard to give the tablets transforming capabilities with five different positions. There’s an even optional active stylus for digital inking. The Venue 10 will be available in spring 2015, but pricing is not yet available. The Dell Venue 10 Pro starts at USD $329.99 for the tablet only or $379.99 with keyboard.

Dell Latitude 11 Education Series. This “purpose-built laptop” works with Dell’s mobility and managed cart solution for education giving schools the ability to update the devices together overnight so they’re ready for the next school day. These laptops provide 11.6-inch displays with optional multi-touch, and durable, full-sized keyboards. They’re tested to MIL-STD 810G standards for pressure, temperature, shock and vibration, and are fully sealed against spills. The Latitude 11 Education Series starts at USD $299.